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Cameroon |
WOMEN
Unemployment is a thorny problem which continues to hit the headlines in the Cameroonian press. One tends to forget, however, that there is one category of the population more exposed to this — women. There are many causes of this situation, yet none of them justifiable
A relatively recent factor, the massive arrival of women on the work market, has certainly aggravated the problem of unemployment. In fact, during the general census of population and housing (RGPH) conducted in 1987, women numbered 1.8 million as active workers against only 600,000 at the beginning of the seventies. Despite considerable economic growth during this period, the increase in job offers was not sufficient to absorb an augmentation of almost 40% of the workforce. Unfortunately, the popular saying which has it that «the last to come shall be first», seems very true here. But it would be too simple to limit ourselves to this kind of reflection: the economic crisis which struck the country from 1987 to 1997 only confirmed this trend.
Whether we are dealing with favourable or adverse circumstances, is it that Cameroonian women are catered for more unjustly than men, no matter the situation? This is hard to believe, since their level of aptness has continued to grow and mentalities have evolved — or so it seems. We have to face the evidence squarely and admit that women still have a good number of obstacles to overcome. If the Media provides us with an increasing number of examples of women «who have succeeded», perhaps it is precisely because the phenomenon is still so rare as to merit being underlined.
A difficult first professional step
If women have begun to flock towards the workplace, it is surely often out of economic necessity (long gone is the time when women were above all confined to the home). Employment is also the best way to acquire independence. We have to recognise that the emancipation of the female sex has always been by way of obtaining a place in society through work; this indicates both an active role and a recognition of ones individuality: «I contribute to business, therefore I am.»
Perhaps this seems slightly exaggerated but one should not underestimate the socialising aspect of work (which allows one to create new relationships). It is a bitter admission, but a study made in 1997 by the Ministry of Work, Employment and Social Security shows that of all those on the unemployment list — whether following on from renewed business activity or a first entry into the employment sector — 15.1% were men and 31.6% women. This shows conclusively that it is more difficult for a woman to get into the workplace for the first time or to take up again a professional activity.
It is an irony of sorts to say that the activities traditionally belonging to the feminine workforce, during the past few years, have undergone serious setbacks. This is also true in the textile industry, in soap manufacturing and in the field of electronics where a number of production sites have closed. However, the dividing line between masculine and feminine jobs has become more and more vague, and this notion is gradually falling into disuse. Of course, some trades demanding physical strength remain the preserve of men, but it would be wrong to believe that whole sectors of the Cameroonian economy are closed to women.
All areas of business include positions which they can occupy, that is, if the directors are not too narrow-minded, and one hears women sometimes complain about this. Thus, in these last years, we have witnessed a good number of transport companies or security firms employ women for administrative functions or co-ordination roles, while these corporations have rather a «virile» image, indeed macho. It is all a question of mentality and, unfortunately, in this whole area there is still a lot to be done: too many employers still consider women to be less capable than men.
What equality?
When we look at statistics, we notice that on a level of similar qualifications, female unemployment is always greater that male, and this, no matter the level of formation. In 1998, 30% of women holding a professional aptitude certificate (CAP) or a professional diploma (BP) were unemployed, compared to 12% of their male counterparts with the same qualifications. And isn’t a diploma nonetheless an objective criterion, or so it would seem. But not, apparently, for all employment managers.
One must be aware of the fact that prejudice always weighs heavily: reservations are made concerning the resistance of women to stress; it’s often thought that if they are capable of learning and obtaining a diploma, it is quite another matter in the field. «The person who accepted me for a job went as far as saying that the work which he was offering, required someone with their feet on the ground, so insinuating that a woman would spend too much time chatting or daydreaming,» confided Christiane Malobé Penda, a sales representative. «So I asked him why he had accepted me since it was obvious that he wanted to hire a man. He simply replied that he wanted to keep all options open, but I really thought that he only wanted to give himself an alibi and interview candidates so that he would not be taken for a macho.»
Even if, fortunately, all employers are not hemmed in by prejudices, the phenomenon still persists and women too often hear disparaging remarks in employment interviews (we all know the delicacy with which some employers evoke the bad «cyclical» moods of their employees!) Generally, there is a preoccupation about their family situation when one ought to be speaking to them about their skills. For many, it is normal for a man to put his family life after his job, whereas the woman is above all a mother. Of course, the number of women who are alone in raising children is on the increase, but there are also a number of existing structures allowing them to reconcile their professional and family life.
This is one of the reasons why Cameroonian women turn towards temporary jobs, with all the uncertainty this implies. It is not always easy to find a stable employment after years of running between different jobs. In fact, often the female workforce is considered as a stop-gap solution, especially when it is a matter of young women with few qualifications. This tendency towards insecurity in the job market has increased for everyone with the current crisis, but there again, it is women who are the least catered for.
A more specialised training?
In general, vulnerability with regard to unemployment, diminishes with raising the level of qualifications. To put it bluntly, the better qualified people are, the less the risk (in principle) of remaining unemployed for a long time. Nonetheless, we know that a period of crisis heightens competition among those looking for a job, and employers can afford to be more and more demanding. Indeed, even those have excelled in their school leaving certificate, are no longer even considered for an employment which requires a much inferior level of formation.
It is evident, then, that entrance to higher studies, if not a guarantee, does at least offer an advantage. But there again, men and women have not always been on an equal footing, since, for example, the highly classed formation on roads and bridges given at the National Polytechnic of Yaounde remained closed to women until 1982! Anecdotal at first sight, this fact expresses very well a mentality firmly anchored, even if it has all changed in our days. Nonetheless, the proportion of women is still feeble, whilst we are talking of areas which are gradually expanding (such as for example those based on technology linked to computer networks.)
Setbacks and solutions
The consequences of unemployment are not only economic. There are also psychological repercussions for those in that situation. This is particularly true for those who have been unemployed for a long time, and it is well known that women remain unemployed for a longer time than men. Christiane, who has progressively lost self-confidence and motivation and has come up against so many problems while searching for employment for almost a year, says: «There comes a time when you ask yourself if you are really going to find something. It was all very well having friends who kept saying that it was the economic crisis which was causing all the difficulties, but I began to believe that it was I myself who was responsible for my situation.» With this, it is easy to get caught up in a vicious circle: lack of conviction in looking for a job, defeatist attitude in job interviews. «For a business job like mine, a dynamic attitude is a must», Christiane continued. «When it is difficult to be motivated after months of searching, and even worse, when you fall on a sexist employer, moral really goes down.»
It would be pretentious to think one can resolve in a few phrases one of the most serious afflictions of modern Cameroonian society; nonetheless, it is possible to put forward some procedures concerning mentalities. Women have succeeded in acquiring jobs with responsibilities and have managed to assert themselves in difficult jobs. However, this is not enough since, in 2001, women still numbered 39.7% of the unemployed, against 11% of men. It is about time that a real equality of the sexes with regard to work becomes manifest. In a general way, it is encouraging to note an increase in the presence of women in higher education and also to witness the emergence of a new generation of employers who are more open than their predecessors. It is the whole society, however, that has to progress towards a more egalitarian vision.
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